Lebanon: Clashes kill eight at South Lebanon Palestinian camp

8th Apr 2014

At least eight people were killed and about 10 wounded in fierce clashes that erupted Monday between armed groups at a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, state media reported.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said machine guns and rocket propelled grenades were being used for almost two hours between supporters of Fattah-affiliated official Ahmed Rashid and the Islamist group Ansar Allah in the town of Miyye Miyye, located on a hill just east of Sidon.

The report identified two of the dead as Rashid Rashid, the brother of Ahmed, and Abu Youssef al-Maty. Both were aligned with a branch of Fatah that is loyal to Mohammed Dahlan, who was chased out of the West Bank three years ago by his former allies of the Palestinian Authority.

Munir Maqdah, an official with the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Brigades was quoted by the NNA as saying that a conflict arose between Rashid and Jamal Suleiman, the leader of Ansar Allah, about 10 days ago, without elaborating.

He said the parties coordinated with the Lebanese army to end the standoff. Witnesses told Al-Akhbar that the area has remained calm since the fighting subsided at around 2:00 pm.

The clashes also forced several schools in parts of Sidon facing Miyye Miyye to shut down.

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